Batman: the Haunting Scarecrow Origin for BB
by Knightfall93
Summary: This story tells a new Scarecrow origin, through the eyes of Jonathan Crane, set to him in Batman Begins being an Arkham Doctor and tells part of the BB story from Crane's PoV
1. Chapter 1: Jonathan Crane

BATMAN: THE HAUNTING

Jonathan Crane was reading. This was hardly new to a seventeen year old who had succeeded in a position of studying philosophy, English and science at Gotham University but this was a very particular book. He in fact knew more than almost every citizen of Gotham and beyond on this particular subject for this subject… was Fear.

Crane poured over the old texts, scrawling notes regularly, though it was likely he knew all he was reading anyway. For Jonathan Crane had an obsession with Fear.

And not just the kind of obsession involving owning all the memorabilia, he was obsessed with Fear in its deepest, darkest essence. An unhealthy, creepy obsession, one that he would do ANYTHING to put into practice, be it inflicting fear upon another or researching fear itself.

There was tapping at the window of the lab… Crane cursed and then, when he saw the flock of tweeting, pathetic birds outside, he smiled… a sickening, insane, twisted smile. Jonathan Crane threw open his window and climbed up, hanging over the birds for a moment. This was why he always worked on the ground floor…

He dropped and charged madly, giggling hysterically… the birds panicked and flew up, up and away! Jonathan Crane smiled contentedly, Fear truly was a Sacred Art and Jonathan Crane was its master!

The tall, thin man with the large, round glasses and top hat shook hands with the principle of Gotham University. It was good to be home… twenty six years, and he was back as if it was only yesterday. He looked up and smiled as he saw birds flapping around the old bell tower. Jonathan Crane had returned.

Of course, not all his memories of Gotham U had been perfect. The jocks and the bullies, the bitching girls and the seniors… everyone had, at one time, insulted him, hit him, bullied him in some way.., what was that most delightful nickname they had given him? Scarecrow… yes, scarecrow… well, it was time that this Scarecrow paid the jocks back. Paid them back for every misery they had caused him and the more Jonathan Crane thought about it, the more he knew that Scarecrow was indeed the perfect name!

Dr Crane pointed at the chalk board with his long, thin walking cane. The formulae he had jotted down on the board may well have bemused Albert Einstein, but Crane understood it with ease.

Then one of those deplorable brats, one of those darned jocks, like the ones who had bullied him in high school, dared whisper to his friend and Jonathan Crane did not accept lack of attention in his class. He hissed icily to the young man:

"Do you wish to share anything with us, Lanson? No? God…" He smiled sickly, it was time he taught them all a little lesson… a lesson in fear, "Tell me, boys, have you ever known true, undiluted, agonising… Fear?"

Mrs Phyllis Dutchley had taken rather a liking to that nice Professor Crane. From the moment he had stepped through that door, three years ago, she had known… he was the man for her. So she had dismissed her class early in the hopes t catch Crane before he left the university for his lunch break, and was understandably startled when she heard a gunshot sound from his room as she walked along the corridor!

She burst in to find Crane holding a smoking gun, a bullet embedded in the wall.

"Aah, hello, Miss… Dutchley, was it?" Smiled Crane, lowering the gun.

"P-p-Professor? What in God's name ARE YOU DOING?" Shrieked Dutchley.

"Just teaching them a little lesson about Fear, Miss Dutchley, a very, very important lesson…"

Crane stood outside the University with his brief case and glared at the birds blocking his path. He'd show them… he'd show those uptight fools… Jonathan Crane would return and he would have his revenge, whatever the cost!


	2. Chapter 2: Descent into Madness

CHAPTER 2: Into the Madness…

Jonathan Crane sat in the airport lounge, knowing he was attracting he was attracting stares. While others were reading the usual magazine trash and basic romantic popcorn comedy novels, he was intently reading a huge tome, "the truth of Fear".

Then the loud speakers crackled on and Crane heard the call:

"Flight BAR222 to Calcutta, India is now boarding."

Crane rose, slid the heavy volume into his bag and stretched, then proceeded to Gate 17…

Crane strode out of the dishevelled Calcutta Airport and a burly Indian man in dark glasses and a black suit stopped him, saying:

"Mr Crane?"

"Dr, actually!"

"Dr Crane… this way please. Mr Ducard is expecting you, but please do not try his patience, he is currently on a very important assignment involving another Gothamite, in fact…but we cannot reveal our plans to you just yet, Mr Crane…"

"I told you before… DR Crane!"

"As you say…" the man produced a key and unlocked the door to a black Rolls Royce, a very uncommon site in the poor, down trodden streets of the city, "It is only a short journey to the drop off but Mr Ducard prefers to be as sheltered as possible…"

Crane accepted the chauffeur's gesture at the back door and opened it, slipping in beside a man in shadow with the blacked out windows.

"You are Dr Jonathan Crane?" The man spoke in a cold voice. He was rally just making a statement, not asking a question.

However, Crane felt inclined to answer:

"Yes, and you are Mr… Ducard? Why did you want to meet with me?"

"Because, Mr Crane… I work for a man who is greatly feared amongst the criminal element, a man named Ra's al Ghul. We know of your… interests, Mr Crane, of how you are an expert…. An expert in Fear! And we need that kind of man for our coming endeavours… a capable man who could see to it that our plan shall succeed. Have you ever heard, Dr Crane, of the League of shadows?"

"Never," sighed Crane, wondering if this… Ducard, was insane.

"Good, for if you had, you would likely be dead. Mr Crane, soon a certain… colleague of mine, will have it arranged that you are appointed a doctor at Arkham Asylum. There, you will receive shipments… of a certain drug. A drug that can induce Fear, Mr Crane… and with it, we shall require you to set our plan in motion. For now, Mr Crane, I wish you well. You will receive further instructions shortly but, doctor, do NOT double cross us, or you WILL pay!"

"You're mad," Whispered Crane, "You bring me all out to India t tell me THIS? This drug formula, it's crazy! Let me out of here!"

The Rolls screeched to a halt and Crane grabbed at the door handle…

"It's locked! Let me…"

"Care for a taste of my very own medicine, doctor?" Smiled Ducard, pulling on a gas mask, "Hideshi!" Suddenly, gas was seeping into the Rolls and Crane began to cough, gasp and yell! Madness… pure glorious Fear… Jonathan Crane opened his mouth wide in a silent scream!


	3. Chapter 3: A Madman's Perfect Plans

CHAPTER 3: A Madman's Perfect Plans

Crane opened his eyes. He was in a dank, dark room. Ducard stood in the doorway with the chauffeur, Hideshi. Ducard… the demon, repulsive beast from the car… no, that was just the toxin. He was a man… yes; the Fear Drug had worked…

"Ah, Dr Crane… now do you sere the effectiveness of the drug?"

"Yes…" Gasped Crane, struggling to his feet, "I… shall help you, Mr Ducard. Tell me, what is this plan of yours?"

"I will explain in private… Hideshi, GO! Now, Mr Crane… here is the plan…"

One month later, a prison somewhere in Tibet.

The bearded man served the gruel calmly into his bowl and turned. A huge fist slammed it from his hands! The American turned and glared at the huge Indian inmate who yelled:

"You are in Hell, American… and I am the Devil!" The attacker punched the American inmate across the face. Blood ran freely from the victim's nose as he straightened himself up. A giant fist slammed into his chest and he reeled back, winded and then pulled himself up against the breakfast table and growled:

"You're not the Devil… you're just practice!"

The bruiser aimed a fierce punch again but the American caught his arm, twisted it and kicked him in the ribs! The thug reeled away and suddenly the thug's inmate friends, 6 of them, leapt at the American, who dodged and the group rolled in the mud.

The American punched one looming menace back, grabbed one in a head lock and continued to battle the others! He released the head lock victim, who had passed out, and the last four all soon lay weak, senseless and groaning in the dirt. The victor held his first assailant by the collar and raised his fist… suddenly, machine gun fire caused him to turn and two armed guards seized the American and dragged him away towards his cell…

The American slammed onto the stone floor of his dank cell and groaned, struggling up. He heard a clear voice behind him:

"Are you so desperate to fight criminals that you lock yourself in with them to take them on one at a time?"

"Actually," He sighed, turning to face the man who was hidden in the shadows, "There were seven of 'em…"

"I counted six, Mr Wayne."

"How do you know who I am?"

"The world is too small for someone like Bruce Wayne to just disappear. I represent a certain Ra's al Ghul, who is greatly feared amongst the criminal underworld. We can help you find what you seek… in three days, you will be released. If you wish to take me up on my offer, there is a rare blue flower that grows only on the eastern slopes of that mountain…" He pointed out of the narrow barred window at a snowy mountain, "If you can take that flower to the top of the mountain, you may find what you seek… good luck, Mr Wayne!"

Gotham City, The Docks

Jonathan Crane smiled as Gotham's very own mob kingpin, Carmine "The Roman" Falcone's car drove up outside. He watched as Falcone's men unloaded the crates and glanced sideways. A tall bald man in padded body armour stood beside the doctor. He wore red night-vision lenses.

"Ah, you must be Mr Zeiss?" Smirked Crane, "yes… Mr Ducard informed me that you would be coming… for my protection, I believe. After all, you are the greatest bodyguard in Gotham city, and possibly the World… your reputation precedes you…yes, you will most definitely be useful to me…"


End file.
